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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: antiquerose123 on April 09, 2011, 06:37:40 AM

Title: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: antiquerose123 on April 09, 2011, 06:37:40 AM
 :hi:

These are actually my first piece (or pieces) of Whitefriars.  :hiclp: :thup: These came all together, and they all retain their label.  My first.   Are they Okay?  The Blue one has on chip on it, but that is Ok, and the rest of the birds arr fine. 

I got the whole LOT of Swans together....and there are 3 different sizes.  Did I do Ok?   :X: hope so. 

Anyone know the age on them? :kissy:
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: johnphilip on April 09, 2011, 10:38:47 AM
  :hi: Nice Rose i prefer the swans to the Ducks and a lot cheaper , and i see one has the export label .
What have you started ? ;D :thup:   By this time next year you will need a Swanerectomy .
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 09, 2011, 10:42:15 AM
Well done, Rose!
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: antiquerose123 on April 09, 2011, 05:27:20 PM
Hi there, Thanks for the Replies.....

Is the Blue label the Export label?  Where have I been then??   :24:  What is the age on these, and are there any *special* colors that are more collectible?

Paid $20 for all three..... ;)

I better not need a farm in a Few year for all the Glass Animals......lol
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 10, 2011, 11:37:05 AM
You need Leni, Rose, she's the wfs swan lady!  :thup:
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: vidrioguapo on April 11, 2011, 01:58:09 PM
How tall is each of them?  The colours are production colours which ran for many years, but the height may tell us actually in which year they were made (more or less)
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: Leni on April 11, 2011, 05:21:34 PM
Is the Blue label the Export label? 
Yes, that's right  :)
Quote
What is the age on these, and are there any *special* colors that are more collectible?
Swans were made throughout the years at WF.  They can be seen in the 1938 catalogue and until the last, in 1980.  However, the very last swans were 'footed', being sat on a blob of glass rather than having a polished flat base, and had only 3 wing pulls on each side, which is how you can tell the later ones.  The early ones had 3 wing-pulls on the 6 inch size and 4 wing-pulls on the 8 and 10 inch sizes.  Having mentioned sizes, there were earlier swans which were 4" and 5" but these are rare.  Also, the heights do vary considerably, so should only be considered an average.  It is possible to tell early swans by the shape, as earlier ones have a narrower head and a high tail, while later ones have a broader head. 

From the heads I would say yours are from the in-between years, neither early nor late.  Is the little blue one Sapphire or Arctic Blue?  It's a bit hard to tell from your picture.  (Sapphire was earlier, ending around 1960 when Arctic Blue - a more subtle grey-blue - replaced it.  Ocean Green (a grey-green) replaced the earlier Sea Green at the same time.)   

'Special' colours?  Hardly worth mentioning Pink and Black, as they are the 'Hen's Teeth' or should I say 'Swan's Teeth'?  :24:  ::)  The older colours, like Early Sky Blue, Emerald, Sanctuary (like 'Bristol') Blue and Amethyst are found less frequently, and one of the most sought-after is the later (but produced in lower numbers) Late Sky Blue.  Silver swans are also fairly rare, as is anything in Silver.

I love WF swans, and I warn you they are addictive!  (I now have over 70  :thud:)  :smg: 

Enjoy collecting them!  As John says, they are so much cheaper than ducks, and IMNSHO much more elegant!   :thup:
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 11, 2011, 07:06:02 PM
 >:D
With the added advantage that they can be used as ash pintrays......  :wsh:
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: johnphilip on April 11, 2011, 07:28:25 PM
Or a beautiful table decoration , one each end . Dont you dare even consider ashtrays . YUKKK .
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: antiquerose123 on April 11, 2011, 11:25:28 PM
How tall is each of them?  The colours are production colours which ran for many years, but the height may tell us actually in which year they were made (more or less)

Clear -- 9 inches tall
Amber -- 6.25 inches tall
Blue -- 5.75 inches tall......you can see that the Blue one is smaller than the Amber one


Yes, that's right  :)Swans were made throughout the years at WF.  They can be seen in the 1938 catalogue and until the last, in 1980.  However, the very last swans were 'footed', being sat on a blob of glass rather than having a polished flat base (flat polished bases on these), and had only 3 wing pulls on each side, which is how you can tell the later ones.  The early ones had 3 wing-pulls on the 6 inch size and 4 wing-pulls on the 8 and 10 inch sizes (not sure what mine have??) .  Having mentioned sizes, there were earlier swans which were 4" and 5" but these are rare.  Also, the heights do vary considerably, so should only be considered an average.  It is possible to tell early swans by the shape, as earlier ones have a narrower head and a high tail, while later ones have a broader head. 

From the heads I would say yours are from the in-between years, neither early nor late.  Is the little blue one Sapphire or Arctic Blue (Gee, how do you tell the difference in the Blues ?? and what is the difference -- do you have examples ??? )?  It's a bit hard to tell from your picture.( I will take some other pics  in the daylight....  ;D )  (Sapphire was earlier, ending around 1960 when Arctic Blue - a more subtle grey-blue - replaced it.  Ocean Green (a grey-green) replaced the earlier Sea Green at the same time.)   

'Special' colours?  Hardly worth mentioning Pink and Black, as they are the 'Hen's Teeth' or should I say 'Swan's Teeth'?  :24:  ::)  The older colours, like Early Sky Blue (and what color is this Blue then ???) , Emerald, Sanctuary (like 'Bristol') Blue and Amethyst are found less frequently, and one of the most sought-after is the later (but produced in lower numbers) Late Sky Blue.  Silver swans are also fairly rare, as is anything in Silver.

(Do you have examples of ALL these different Blue to show us ??   :kissy: )

I love WF swans, and I warn you they are addictive!  (I now have over 70  :thud:)  :smg: 

Enjoy collecting them!  As John says, they are so much cheaper than ducks, and IMNSHO much more elegant!   :thup:

Thanks -- Gee with so many shades of Blue -- how will I ever figure that out  :thud:
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: Leni on April 12, 2011, 07:29:46 AM
Clear -- 9 inches tall
Amber -- 6.25 inches tall
Blue -- 5.75 inches tall......you can see that the Blue one is smaller than the Amber one

In that case I would say your swans are
Clear (generally referred to as Flint) - - - Large (Nominally 10 inches)
Amber and ?? Blue - - - Small (Nominally 6 inches)

Quote
Thanks -- Gee with so many shades of Blue -- how will I ever figure that out  :thud:

OK, here are a couple of pics showing the different blues.  Sadly, I don't (yet)have an Early Sky Blue swan :cry:  so I'm posting a pic of something else to show the colour   :)
Title: Re: Whitefriars -- My first pieces......
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 12, 2011, 11:47:23 AM
 :pb:
I need to apologise for my comment - it was unneccessarily rude. The problem is mine - I'm just not nearly as eclectic as I could be and I was/am in a bad mood because of frustrations elsewhere in my life.